Prairiesong: Score
By Carl Strommen
Grade: 3 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PR-0002136
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Description
There are many opportunities to feature your fine soloists throughout this energetic work. All the technical passages fall nicely under the fingers. Beautiful melodic fragments shift from section to section offering everyone a chance. Generous cross-cueing guarantees a successful performance. Pure energy! (6:43)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Prairiesong: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
212
SKU:
00-PR-0002136
More about this title
About the Composer: Carl Strommen
Carl Strommen's output spans band, orchestra, jazz ensemble, and vocal music, making his work a staple in performance venues across North America and internationally. His compositions and arrangements appear regularly in concert halls, on television, and in film soundtracks. Strommen has earned the ASCAP Standard Writers Award annually throughout his career, reflecting the breadth and consistent quality of his catalog.
Why we love this
Strommen writes with genuine understanding of what concert bands can do at Grade 3 level. The piece balances accessible technical writing with real musical substance: soloists get moments to shine, sections trade melodic material so everyone stays engaged, and the cross-cueing is thorough enough that you'll actually trust it in performance. It's energetic without being frantic, which means your students can play with confidence rather than hanging on for dear life.
What to expect
Prairiesong moves with bright, forward momentum. The energy feels natural rather than forced, propelled by memorable melodic fragments that pass between sections like a musical conversation. There's an openness to the sound that reflects its title, with space for each voice to breathe while the ensemble builds momentum together.
Who it's for
Concert bands at Grade 3 level seeking repertoire that energizes without exhausting younger or less experienced ensembles. It works well for programs that need a piece with solo features but don't have the depth of instrumental strength required for higher-level works.
How to get the most out of it
- Highlight the solo opportunities early in rehearsal so your featured players understand they're carrying important musical ideas, not just getting a turn. This motivation pays dividends in their preparation.
- Balance the energy with clarity of ensemble sound. The piece moves quickly, but rushing happens when sections aren't anchored by a steady pulse from your rhythm section.
- Trust the cross-cueing in exposed passages. Strommen has written it generously, which means your less experienced players have safety nets and your stronger players still get meaningful parts.
How to use it
Program this as the energetic centerpiece of a concert that needs a tonal shift from lyrical or heavier works. It's also well-suited to festival and contest settings where judges value both clean ensemble sound and opportunities for soloists to demonstrate musicality. The runtime of 6:43 gives you flexibility in balancing a full concert program.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining ensemble energy across a medium-length piece without rushing
- Trading melodic lines between sections while maintaining phrase cohesion
- Solo performance within an ensemble context
- Reading and responding to conductor cues, particularly in passages with cross-cueing
- Technical facility in idiomatic concert band writing at Grade 3 difficulty